One of my favorite snack foods to discuss with clients are chips! Of course not all chips are healthy, and in fact most of them aren’t healthy at all. A couple months ago I found this article on CookingLight.com, which listed the top ten most healthy chips.

Source: iStockPhoto

I don’t always agree with these articles, but this one was written by an RD (making it much more credible, in my opinion) and I agreed with each and every one! Here are some of the chips that were listed;

Many times when I’m trying to explain to people that a certain chip is actually healthier than others, they look at me in disbelief because the fat content is typically still really high. So, what do I consider a “healthier” chip?

Low sodium (under 140 mg per serving)

Under 1 gram of saturated fat, and of course ZERO trans fat

2 or more grams of fiber

Good source (10% of DV, or more) of some type of vitamin or mineral; such as vitamin A in the Terra chips

When people tell me they eat pretzels for a “healthy snack” (ahem…DAD!), I try to nicely explain to them that there is zero health benefit from pretzels (and no, I could care less if they are baked and not fried);

What about whole wheat pretzels? Much better, in my opinion, because at least you are getting a good source of natural vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.

QUESTION: What’s your favorite chip? Healthy…or not, I guess I don’t care for this question. My favorite chips are Doritos! The chips I eat most often would be Terra sweet potato chips, and also the veggie chips I buy in bulk at the store.

Gina, The Candid RD

I'm a registered dietitian working hard to dispel nutrition myths, and to teach people how to live healthy lives without deprivation. My goal is to make nutrition simple, fun and delicious! I also follow a low FODMAPs diet for IBS. Feel free to contact me with questions.

Cooking With Paige

A story book that details a healthy trip through the grocery store, complete with a few recipes for your young ones!

Recent Posts

Disclaimer

This blog is meant to teach and inform you about nutrition and nutrition-related information. It serves as an outlet for my own personal opinions, but is not meant to be used as an absolute source of information. Before using this information to make any changes to your diet or lifestyle, I recommend that you talk to your doctor or local registered dietitian (contact me for options). Also, my low-FODMAPs recipes and recipe modifications are based on research done by the Monash University. Please contact me if you see something that you believe is inaccurate. I like to help, not confuse.